Stephen Hilton - The Churchill Fellowship

Fellow's Profile

Stephen Hilton

Festivals for All: The Future of Audio Description

Fellowship

Themes
Focus

Reframing cultural participation through smart glasses and blind-led innovation.

Countries
Fellowship year

2026

Locality

South West

Biography

I am Director of City Global Futures, an independent consultancy exploring how emerging technologies can create public value. I have a lifelong severe sight impairment and am also the father of a visually impaired son. These experiences have given me a personal interest in how technology can expand opportunities for participation, connection and independence.

My Fellowship, Reframing Culture, explores how smart glasses could help blind and visually impaired people engage more fully with arts, festivals and theatre. I want to understand how these technologies might improve experiences, create new forms of participation and encourage cultural organisations to see accessibility as a source of innovation.

This project brings together my personal experience, my work in technology and futures, and my role as Chair of VocalEyes. I hope to work with visually impaired audiences, cultural organisations and technology developers to identify practical opportunities, test new ideas and help shape a more inclusive future for cultural participation.

Disclaimer

All Reports are copyright © the author. The moral right of the author has been asserted. The views and opinions expressed by any Fellow are those of the Fellow and not of the Churchill Fellowship or its partners, which have no responsibility or liability for any part of them.

Disclaimer

All Reports are copyright © the author. The moral right of the author has been asserted. The views and opinions expressed by any Fellow are those of the Fellow and not of the Churchill Fellowship or its partners, which have no responsibility or liability for any part of them.

Contact this fellow

Fellow contact

Related

Newsletter Sign Up